Penthouse Party!
by samuraistar
Summary: A potentially awkward situation becomes a night of family fun for the Core Four involving root beer, pillow fights, and a severe case of the Honeyglow. Mostly Hero's Cuties. Started out as a one-shot, then I got creative. Dedicated to MidnightMoonSong. Rated just in case.
1. A Gentleman and His Lady

Greetings, fellow Wreckers! samuraistar's the name, fangirling is the game! If you check out my profile, you'll see I've been here for a long, LONG time (10 years). I recently got a copy of Wreck-It Ralph on DVD and naturally, I was hooked immediately. Yes, it took me two years to catch onto the fandom, but I'm here now and I'm here to stay!

And yes: I ship the CRAP out of Hero's Cuties! Felix and Calhoun are the most adorable couple! This started out as a one-shot but it quickly got away from me and has turned into one major fluff fest, so if you can't handle the sugar, then leave the room and brush your teeth! This is all about the It Family, mostly Hero's Cuties!

Please regard me kindly in your reviews! And just to introduce you to a bit of my style, I include quotes in all my chapters. The ones you see here will be (mostly) from songs I have on a playlist specifically dedicated to Hero's Cuties.

* * *

_"I don't want to mess this thing up; I don't want to push too far."_ – Lady Antebellum, _Just A Kiss_

* * *

**Chapter 1: A Gentleman and His Lady**  
About a million thoughts and emotions went through Felix's head as he stared wide-eyed at the woman on his doorstep: Surprise that she'd shown up at all (and with a duffel bag), ecstasy to see her again, worry that there was something wrong, and hope that no one would pop up and spoil the moment before he even knew what was going on. His fingers twitched with the urge to whip his hat off, but he remembered he wasn't wearing it or his gloves.

"Miss Calhoun!" he blurted profusely, "Good evening! What, uh…what brings you here?" He would have invited her inside, but the ceiling height of an apartment belonging to a man who barely stood 4' 0" was neither very accommodating nor very comfortable for a woman who was almost 8 feet tall.

"Look," she sighed, looking equally embarrassed, "I know what you must be thinking and I know this is awkward, but let me make this clear: I'm not drunk, I'm not crazy, and I'm not here to hit on you." That last one set Felix's cheeks on fire and he was positive he saw the faintest hint of pink in hers. "It's just…my apartment's being checked for cy-bugs and it's an all-night process. It's kind of like fumigation, only it doesn't take as long. I was just wondering if…if you had a couch I could crash on for tonight."

"Of course," he said compassionately, "That is…if you don't mind that…Ralph is coming later…possibly with Vanellope."

"Possibly?" she repeated.

"Well, you know," he shrugged awkwardly, "Ralph has her over a lot; he even built her a room in his house! She's like Sciatica: She comes and goes." Calhoun chuckled.

"That actually doesn't sound too bad," she half-smiled.

"Great!" he brightened up, "But, um, let's go up to the penthouse. It's taller and more spacious." Fortunately, he still had his keys in his pocket; he quickly grabbed his hat and gloves and locked his door behind him.

One floor and one awkward elevator ride later, he ushered her in to the empty yet well-furnished penthouse. Gene had given him the extra key and allowed him to use the place whenever he wished. Calhoun whistled a low appreciative note.

"Nice place you got here," she said as she looked the place over. There was a plasma screen in the wall where the ice sculpture had been, across from which was the most perfect-looking sofa she'd ever seen.

"Thanks," he said, "No one actually lives here; we just use it for parties—and of course, guests. So…you, uh…make yourself at home and…I'll just call Ralph and tell him where we are! Be right back!" And he zipped down the hallway, leaving an amused Sgt. Calhoun in the living room.

* * *

Felix's poor little heart was pumping harder than his near-death experience in _Hero's Duty_ as he grabbed the phone in the Master Bedroom.

"C'mon, c'mon, c'mon," he muttered as he dialed furiously and bobbed on his feet for ten agonizing seconds before Ralph picked up.

"Ralph!" he hissed, "It's me, Felix!"

"Felix?" Ralph repeated, "Why are you whispering?"

"Listen to me." Felix cupped the mouthpiece. "I need you to come upstairs to the penthouse _right now_."

"What?" Ralph was perplexed. "But I've got the kid here tonight!"

"Well, great! Bring her with you!" Felix insisted, "We'll order pizza and root beer! Tell her it's a sleepover! (…) Why? Because Sgt. Calhoun's here with me and I can't be left alone with her!"

_"What?"_ Ralph sounded incredulous. "Are you telling me you're scared of her now after all you've been through together?"

"I'm not scared of _her_, Ralph, I'm scared of _me!_" Felix spread his free hand on the bedside table with his eyes pinched shut. "I've never felt this way before. I'm in love with this woman—have been since I first laid eyes on her. Now she's right here, in my game, in my _building!_ She's so close I can reach out and touch her and I'm pretty sure she'd let me! Ralph…We have something good starting between us and I don't want to mess it up! I want her to feel comfortable enough to keep coming back. I want her…" He ran his hand through his hair with a sigh. "I want her to feel safe."

"Around you?" said Ralph, "Felix, she couldn't be safer around you if the place was padded! You couldn't take advantage of her if you wanted to!"

"I know, I know," Felix waved off, "I just want to decrease the risk. Now will you _please_ help me out?"

"All right, all right," Ralph said, "We'll be over ASAP. Don't worry about it."

"Thank you," Felix sighed in relief, "I'll order us some pizza."

"Okay, cool," said Ralph, "See you in a bit." Ralph hung up and massaged the bridge of his nose. "Ay-yi-yi…"

"Hey, Ralphie! Who was that on the phone?" Vanellope called from the living room. Ralph immediately brightened up.

"Oh, that was Felix!" he smiled, "He invited us up to the penthouse for a pizza party/sleepover! What do you say?"

"Pizza? Oh, _heck_ yeah!" she piped, "Let me pack my bag!"

* * *

Felix hung up the phone after calling Pizza Ghost and came back down the hallway. He was just thinking he might offer the Sergeant the Master Bedroom instead of the couch when he saw her sitting at the bar counter…

Hanging up the extension!

"So," she smirked, "you don't trust yourself around me, huh, short stack?"

In half a second his hat was in his fidgety hands and his red face was speaking the volumes of words he was struggling to find.

"Um…" he stammered with that painfully awkward expression of his, "How, uh…H-how much of that did you hear?"

"I came in on you wanting me to feel safe," she answered wryly as she pushed out a bar stool for him, "You're quite the gentleman, Mr. Fix-It."

"Not really, ma'am," he shook his head and hopped up on the seat, "I just come from old code. I don't want you to worry that I'm going to…make a move on you." The Honeyglow spread to his ears and _this_ time, he definitely saw pink in her cheeks.

"And you're not worried at all what your neighbors would say?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

"About me? No," he answered honestly, "I've always had a good rapport here and nobody would ever think that about me." He looked her in the eyes. "But they don't know you, ma'am, and as much as I like my neighbors, Niceland is as tightly knit as a beehive and every neighborhood has its gossips. I don't care what anyone says about me, but I don't want anything false being said about you."

Had any man but Felix said that, Calhoun wouldn't have believed a word of it, but she knew enough of his honesty that she could tell he meant it.

"To tell you the truth," she said, "I _was_ worried about your reputation. I only came here because I had nowhere else to go. And…" She half-smiled sheepishly. "Even if _you_ don't trust you, _I _do."

"Thank you," he smiled, "but since I don't, we'll both have to trust Ralph and Vanellope!"

"Fair enough," she chuckled, "I like Vanellope. And I'm sure Wreck-It will keep you out of trouble." She gently poked him in the chest. "And Vanellope will keep _me_ out of trouble," she added quickly. Felix's eyes flew wide and he stared at her and her adorably red face perched on her fist. She glanced at him and shrugged a shoulder.

"What can I say?" she said, "You're a good kisser."

_Ding-Dong!_

"I don't smell any _pizza_ in there!" Vanellope called through the door. Felix and Calhoun both laughed a bit.

"Saved by the bell!" said Felix as he hopped down to answer the door.

* * *

**Author's Review****:**  
I don't want y'all to think that I'm making Felix out to be some kind of a pervert; matter of fact, it's just the opposite. He doesn't want to be tempted to do anything untoward to Calhoun and as any of you men would know, it's kind of hard to be tempted when there's a child in the room, especially one like Vanellope!

Plus, there's a sense of propriety here that I think our generation has either forgotten or pushed aside in favor of the YOLO movement. Felix's sense of old-fashioned chivalry is an excellent reminder to us whipper-snappers that yes, there is a right way and a wrong way to do things, especially when you're in love with someone as traumatized as Sgt. Calhoun. She's the last person that should have to think about things like that and Felix, being the sweetheart that he is, wants to relieve her of as many of her burdens as possible, even the superficial ones. That's what I'm getting at here and that's what I hope you'll take away from this (if you're even reading this Review).

By the way, I'm not using her first name until the last chapter or so. I'm not sure why, that's just how it's working.


	2. Party Till You're Pooped

Thank you all for your reviews/Favorites/Follows/etc. so far! It's a real morale booster!

Okay, before y'all get into this chapter, let me explain something…

I'm a HUGE fan of _New Girl_ (Zooey Deschanel FTW) and I watch it a LOT. This chapter is a combined inspiration between the episode where they play True American (first season, episode _Normal_) and a radio commercial I heard recently for Terminix that involved a bunch of women sharing a strangely dramatic narrative about killing the queen and reclaiming your home (let me know if you've heard it).

Also, there's gonna be some adorable female bonding between Calhoun and Vanellope. I hope you'll like it! And if the rules to the game get confusing, just go watch the _New Girl_ (but I've got to tell ya, it probably won't be any less confusing; it's like playing Calvinball).

Oh, and I made up Pizza Ghost; it just seems like a fun WIR universe game thingy. ^_^

* * *

_"What is this feeling taking over?"_ – Kelly Clarkson, _Miss Independent_ (Hero's Cuties song of the day!)

* * *

**Chapter 2: Party Till You're Pooped**  
Vanellope jumped to hug Felix then saw the Sergeant.

"Aw, _sweet!_" she exclaimed, "Calhoun's here!" She glitched herself onto her, piggyback style. "Hey, Sarge! Where's your armor?"

She was wearing an army green, short-sleeved shirt with dog tags and camo pants.

"It's after-hours, kid," she smiled and lifted her up on her shoulders, "I don't have to wear it _all _the time, do I?"

"Nah, you're right," she shrugged, "Besides, you're easier to sit on this way." She leaned on her head with her arms crossed. "So where's the pizza?"

"It'll be here any second," Felix said and closed the door, which he immediately reopened when it was knocked on. "See? What'd I tell you?"

Their two large pizzas and three six-packs of root beer were delivered by a floating gossamer specter who said "Enjoy your meal" in a cliché haunting ghost voice that made Vanellope giggle. Once that first box was opened, there was no standing between her and that pepperoni and sausage _or_ those 600 channels waiting to be flipped through on the plasma screen. They all settled on the floor with the food in the middle, talking more than watching the TV while Vanellope channel-surfed. Ralph noticed Felix was breathing much more easily now that they were there, despite the leftover red in his cheeks (_and_ Calhoun's, he further noticed). Judging by the closeness he could sense between the two, Ralph figured they'd arrived just in time.

"Oh, I forgot!" Vanellope said as she jumped to her feet, "You guys stay there and close your eyes! I've got something for you!" Felix and Calhoun looked inquisitively at Ralph while the kid dug around her duffel bag.

"You better do it," he shrugged. After sharing a weird glance, they complied and Vanellope slipped a couple of homemade medals around their necks—black licorice for Calhoun, blue raspberry sour Laffy Taffy for Felix.

"Okay, open up!" she chirped. They both smiled at the word "Hero" iced on the diamond shaped cookies in her nice white cursive. The frosting on Felix's cookie was blue and Calhoun's was dark green. Their names were on the backs, too! (Except hers just said "Sgt. Calhoun.")

"Ultimately, Ralph is my Royal Chump," she smiled, "but you did help save my game…and my life…so you two are the first recipients of the official vonSchweetz Medal of Awesome!" She kissed both of them on the cheek.

"Thanks, Vanellope," Felix said and grabbed her in a hug, "This is the nicest medal I've ever had! I'm not even gonna hang it on the wall. I'll give it a place of honor in my living room!"

"This is the first medal _I've_ ever had," the sergeant smiled and turned hers over, "Normally I don't even see one until the gamers win it. It's nice to get a kickback once in a while. Thanks a lot, cadet."

"Hey, you're heroes," she shrugged casually, "Heroes deserve medals." She turned her head at Ralph and winked with a thumbs-up.

Calhoun crushed her empty root beer can with one hand.

"All right, heroes," she announced as she stood up, "Since I've got you all here…who'd like to learn to play Revolution?"

"What's that?" the kid blinked.

"Normally, it's a drinking game," she answered and picked up the two-and-a-half remaining six-packs, "but as you can see, we'd be playing with root beer."

"I'm game," said Vanellope.

"Me, too!" said Felix.

"I'm in," said Ralph, "What's the setup?"

* * *

By the time Calhoun started explaining the rules, the living room had become a life-size gameboard with chairs and cushions leading to and from a small table, where each corner had a line of three or four root beer cans connected by a two-liter of orange soda, the only non-alcohol they could find in their fridge.

"Okay," she started, "In _Hero's Duty_, there's a bonus level that gives gamers a chance to destroy an entire nest of cy-bugs and the main target is the queen. It's like exterminating a termite colony: Kill the queen, you destroy the colony."

"Revolution!" Vanellope piped with a fist up.

"Bingo." Calhoun tapped the orange soda. "This is the queen and the cans are her drones, or soldiers. To get rid of the drones and expose the queen, you have to play your way across the four zones and you don't get a drone until you land on the center space of whatever zone you're in. You with me so far?"

"Zones and drones!" Vanellope hopped on one foot at a time, "Got it!"

"Good," she nodded with a smile, "Now—when you move a space, you take a swig from your drone but be careful not to _run_ out or _you're_ out and the only way back in is to chug a whole can. You have three options for space-moving: Finish a quote, things in common, or a forehead count, which means you finish a quote—duh—find something that two things have in common, or hold a number up to your forehead with your fingers. All players who have a different number than everyone else move the number of spaces you've got. Anyone who shares a number stays where they are. You can have no more than three soldiers at a time. If you get the last drone in its line, the queen is in your sights! Chug the can, sip from the bottle, and the queen is dead! Oh, and the floor is lava; step in, you're out 'til you chug a can.

"Any questions?"

"That sounds unbelievably complicated for a drinking game," Ralph commented.

"Let's do it!" Vanellope jumped in excitement.

Complicated though it was, they slipped into it pretty well after the first ten minutes, especially Vanellope. Her only flaw was that she was so good at chugging those cans that she had to plan her moves carefully so she would always have two drones _and_ replace them as necessary. All empty drones were thrown in the "junkyard," which was a trash can set up in front of the bar. Ralph accidentally stepped in the lava once, but was able to chug his way back in with impressive speed. Felix was as good at space-hopping as Vanellope, which sprouted a good-natured rivalry between them.

"I'm onto you, old man," she smiled daringly, "You got no chance against a child president-racer who lives on sugar!"

"You think so, little lady?" he returned the challenge, "I've got 30 years' worth of gameplay under this toolbelt of mine and I got it all by hopping!"

"Okay, Smarty Marty," she replied, "Time for the count! One, two, three!"

Their playful banter ended up going to waste; since they both had threes on their foreheads, neither got to move. Calhoun moved two spaces and Ralph moved four, grabbing the last drone in the nearest line.

"_Ralphie's got the queen!_" Vanellope pointed, "Kill it, Ralph!" She started up a chanct of "Kill the queen" that was immediately picked up and last from chugging the drone to swigging almost half the queen and they cheered for him.

"Yeah!" he waved a fist, "Revolution!"

"Way to go, Ralphie!" Vanellope jumped on him and he spun around with her while everybody kept cheering. Just then, Gene busted in.

"What the heck is going on up here?" he demanded. They all looked blankly at him for a moment, then smiled at each other.

"All trash belongs…" Felix started.

_"In the junkyard!"_ they all shouted and pelted the stingy superintendent with empty cans until he skittered out with a protective hand over his martini.

"He's probably gonna grill you for that," Calhoun remarked as they started cleaning up.

"He'll get over it," Felix shrugged with a smile. He admitted to himself that was a bit out of line for him, but he was on a natural high and surrounded by the people he cared for most and he'd be a monkey's uncle if he was going to let anyone or anything even _try_ to bring him down! "Hey, Ralph," he chirped, "What say we lug this down to recycling?"

"Yeah, sure," said Ralph with a big bag slung on his shoulder like Santa, "You ladies talk. We'll be right back!"

* * *

The second the door was shut, Vanellope glitched over to her duffel bag again.

"Finally!" she grinned, "I've been waiting all night to do this!" She brought what looked like an insulated lunch bag over to the sergeant and unzipped it with an evil smile. "Pick a color," she said, "We're doing your nails!" Calhoun raised an eyebrow.

"_This_ is what you've been waiting all night to do?" she said drily.

"Well, yeah," Vanellope said and knelt as she unloaded, "I've kinda always had this fantasy where I was a manicurist with a Jersey accent and it's hard to play out when you're living alone."

Calhoun glanced at her. Ralph had told her about the kid's tragic history and now she saw the full truth of it. Her heart went out to her. A bright, precious child like her should never have had to spend even one day all alone with no one to take care of her, and Vanellope had been alone for _years._

"And now that I'm no longer alone," the kid smiled meaningfully, "_and_ have a female friend…Present nails!"

"All right," Calhoun smiled and slung a hand up in surrender, "You win, kid." She picked a tiny gumball out of the child's hair and popped it into her own mouth. "I'll take Electric Violet." Surprised, Vanellope grinned and picked another gumball out of her hair.

"Good choice, dahling!" she slipped into the Jersey accent and flopped onto her tummy, grabbing for the tiny bottle of nail polish.

* * *

**Author's Review****:**  
I'm not sure why, but I have an image of Vanellope painting nails with a Jersey accent. It's kind of adorable to me.

Speaking of Vanellope, apparently I'm not the only one who thought of her awarding medals to Felix and Calhoun. After I started writing in my notebook, I was browsing the Hero's Cuties Track on Tumblr and found a head canon of just that and I was like "Crap! Someone else thought of it!" But then my inner muse said "Screw it, just use it anyway." So I did! And it's cute! I don't get my inspirations from Tumblr; not to toot my own horn, but I have been writing since before ANY social media existed, so…yeah.

Anyway, I hope the game wasn't too confusing, but believe me, True American is WAY worse. For the official rules, go online. It has its own website and everything!

PLEASE stay tuned for the next chapter, when it gets super-romantic! ;D


	3. Hands & Hair

Welcome to chapter three, wherein the sap gets so sticky you could probably taste it on your computer! (That's a joke, btw; DO NOT lick your computer LOL)

There's a lot of physical contact in this chapter because I'm a bit of a touchy-feely person, probably 'cause I watch so much anime.

Oh, one thing I forgot to mention: Calhoun came up with Revolution as a fun way for her men to cope with their PTSD.

Another thing I forgot to mention: At the time I came up with this story, I was watching _Chobits_ over and over again, specifically the episode where Shimizu-sensei gets drunk and stays over at Hideki's apartment (and then gets even _more_ drunk), so there's that influence as well.

There's also some adorable female bonding between Calhoun and Vanellope here, and as I was writing I started to figure out just how much they really have in common! You'll see what I mean!

* * *

_"We're both looking for something we've been afraid to find."_ – Lifehouse, _First Time_

* * *

**Chapter 3: Hands & Hair**  
Ralph took his and Felix's bags and hoisted them into the new Niceland dumpster.

"Well, that was fun!" he said brightly, "It's about time the four of us got together like this."

"I know, right?" Felix piped, "I hope we can do this more often. Thanks again for coming over, Ralph. I owe you big time for this." They started walking back to the main building.

"Hey, I'm happy to do it." Ralph gently patted him on the back. "It's a good thing, too. One look at you and Calhoun and I can tell you're completely stuck on each other."

Felix went red as a cherry.

"You really think she's stuck on me?" he almost squeaked like a middle schooler with his first crush. Ralph stopped.

"Are you serious right now?" he looked flatly at him, "Did you or did you not tell me about the goo-goo eyes in the Nesquiksand?"

"Well, yeah…" he fidgeted with his hands.

"And how _she_ kissed _you_ on the Rainbow Bridge?"

"Yeah…" he smiled and blushed again.

"And need I mention the fact that she hasn't been more than a few feet away from you all evening?" he pointed out, "Like, she purposely sits next to you of her own free will?"

"Well, of course I noticed _that!_" said Felix, "Pardon my French, but I'd have to be a real cotton-headed ninnymuggins not to notice something like that."

"Easy there, tiger," Ralph joked as they resumed their walk.

* * *

"So what's up with you and Felix? You like each other or something?"

Calhoun's visible eye caught Vanellope's from between her bangs, which Vanellope was currently braiding while her nails dried.

"Are you just now noticing or just now asking?" she enquired.

"Well, I haven't had much of a chance to hang out lately," the child answered, "What with racing and building my administration and all, but I think it's pretty obvious there's something going on between you guys. So spill it, sister!"

"What's to spill?" she smirked, "You just said it yourself."

"Yeah, but I want to hear _you_ say it!" the child insisted, "I mean, you wouldn't kiss him if you didn't like him, right?"

Now the tough-as-nails heroine was smiling for real and Vanellope loved the soft pink brushstroke blush spreading across her nose and cheeks. It looked very becoming of a grown-up lady.

"D'aw!" she patted the woman's face and baby-talked at her, "Big bad Sergeant Calhoun's got the Honeyglow in her cheeks!" Calhoun couldn't help but laugh at how adorable she was.

"You've got kitten paw hands, you know that, kid?" she chuckled and held the child's face. Vanellope rubbed her hands with her own.

"And you've got smooth Hi-Def skin," she said appreciatively, "How do you keep it like this under those gloves?"

"Programming, I guess," Calhoun shrugged, "And to answer your question, yes: I do like Felix."

"See?" she said, "That wasn't so hard, was it?" She stood up and continued braiding. "Incidentally, why _do_ you like him? Isn't he a little out of your league?"

"Do you even know what that means?" Calhoun said suspiciously.

"Okay, you got me. I don't know what that means," Vanellope rolled her eyes, "It's just that you're tall and cool and he's…short and dorky." Calhoun chuckled. "I mean, what's the deal, huh?"

"It's a lot of things," she said after a moment, "but one of them is that…in a different sort of way…he does for me what Ralph does for you."

Vanellope looked confused for a minute, then it clicked and she looked sadly surprised.

"Oh," she said softly and knelt, "You're alone too, huh?" Calhoun smiled again and moved the girl's bangs out of her face. They made eye contact.

"Not anymore," she said warmly. Vanellope returned the smile and jumped to hug her. As Calhoun held her small body in one arm, she felt herself being wrapped tightly around her tiny little finger…specifically, her pinky…with vanilla-scented white lace stitched with hearts. It was a weird yet more than welcome feeling.

"Enjoy the show, boys?" she raised her voice a bit. Vanellope pulled back looking confused and saw the two It-Men standing in the doorway, all smiles.

"Just look at our little ladies, Ralph," Felix said adoringly, "Aren't they precious?"

"Well, one of 'em is," Ralph shrugged.

"What took you guys so long?" said Vanellope, "It's time for the pillow fight!"

"Shift gears pretty quick, don't you, kid?" said Calhoun. Her only answer was a pillow to the face and she happily retaliated. More than once she caught Felix watching her smile or laugh and then she'd smile brighter just for him.

Two hours later they were all on the couch watching a TV movie. Calhoun sat on the floor with Vanellope braiding more of her hair from behind and Felix sitting next to her on her left, staring at her just like he had in the shuttle. Ralph wasn't really paying attention to the movie; he was just enjoying the family vibe.

Before too long, though, he noticed she was nodding off on Calhoun's head.

"I love your hair," she murmured sleepily, "It's soft and smells like flowers. I could roll around in it like a hayloft."

"Me, too," Felix sighed. Calhoun gave him The Eyebrow and glanced back at Ralph.

"I got it," he nodded and stood up, "C'mon, Princess Pukeface. Time to hit the hay, and I don't mean the Sergeant's hair." He gently plucked her up by her hoodie.

"I'm not tired," she mumbled as he put her over his shoulder.

"I know," he chuckled as he carried her off.

"Good night, you guys," she softly called with a feeble wave and a sleepy smile. The two adults waved back and wished her "sleep tight" and "sweet dreams," then shared an awkward glance. Calhoun chuckled a bit and started undoing her braids.

"She's cute." She couldn't think of anything else to say and the no-longer-dormant romantic tension was getting to her. It didn't help that Felix was now standing in front of her, helping her with her hair. He had a light touch, which was surprising since those same hands had pulled her entire weight, _plus_ armor, out of a pit of chocolate death. Gentle strength—it was kind of a turn-on.

"What's this?" he asked curiously and took one of her hands before she could hide it.

"The kid did it," she muttered in pink-faced embarrassment. She'd rather have died than admit that she picked the color herself. He looked at it for a moment, then at her.

"It's pretty," he smiled, "It brings out your eyes." He laid a deep, chaste kiss right on top of her hand that shot through her code and made her face turn blood red. If there was a truly proper way to kiss a lady's hand, Felix had found it. Heck, he probably _invented_ it for all she knew! It was smooth and gallant, firm but tender, and he'd held it with both hands instead of just one. Mr. _Darcy_ couldn't have done better.

"I thought you weren't making any moves," she smirked.

"Oh, I'm not," he teased, "A move would be if I pointed out how you even look pretty with the TV and kitchen lights shining on you…or how having you here with me has made me deliriously happy. A move would be something like this." He delicately moved her soft hair out of her eyes and took her warm face in his bare hands. After running his thumb over her cheek, he slowly went in with his eyes asking permission to kiss her just once and her eyes hesitantly answering "yes."

This was a different kiss than the one they'd shared in _Sugar Rush_. That had been Calhoun saying "I'm sorry, I forgive you and thank you." Now it was his turn to talk and this was him saying "I want to be with you" and "Please let me into your heart." She kissed him back as if to say "Me, too" and "You're already in." His left hand found its way behind her head; he couldn't believe how soft her hair was! How did it stay like this in _Hero's Duty?_

Felix didn't pull back very far and Calhoun waited a bit before opening her eyes. They were dancing and his breath caught; how did they manage to sparkle without starlight? She half-smiled at him.

"Awfully bold of you, Fix-It," she said, "What happened to the jittery 8-bit handyman I almost shot two days ago?"

"He met the most dynamite gal and turned into a _real_ man," he said.

"You're already a man, Fix-It," she replied and smoothed his hair back, "You got something to say, Wreck-It?"

Felix straightened up and turned to see Ralph in the hallway looking somewhat serious.

"Sorry to sound negative," he said, "but isn't this what we were trying to avoid?" He pointed back and forth at them. "Is this gonna be a problem?"

"There's no problem, Wreck-It," Calhoun rolled her eyes, "We _were _just having a moment."

"Trust us, Ralph, everything's all right," said Felix, "Having you and Vanellope here is a huge help."

"Believe it or not, we know how to control ourselves," Calhoun added sourly, "By the way, I'm taking the couch." She socked Ralph in the arm on her way to the bathroom, where she immediately splashed cold water on her face, trying hard to break the fever Felix had somehow stirred up in her.

"Felix, are you sure you can do this?" Ralph asked in the kitchen, "I didn't mean to watch you, but I couldn't really help it and you two were giving off a vibe like you wouldn't believe. I'm still feeling it; it's weird."

"Believe me, it's fine, brother," Felix smiled, "You and Vanellope have it well balanced out; Miss Calhoun knows that."

"Well, all right, then," Ralph conceded, "I gotta admit, she's pretty fun when she loosens up."

"Ain't she just?" Felix sighed.

* * *

**Author's Review****:**  
I'm sorry I've basically turned Ralph into a chaperone, but that's kinda what he's there for in the first place. I hope I haven't departed from his character (at least, not TOO much).

So, yeah—super-romantic, right? Just like I promised! If there's one thing I love to write, it's a good old-fashioned romance scene!

I hope you liked Vanellope and her adorableness! I sure did! She's too cute to handle! Questions, comments, concerns, y'all know what to do! See you next chapter, in which we find out that Felix is a Tennyson fan! ;)


	4. Now Weeps the Troubled Sergeant

I started typing this right after I uploaded chapter 3, so if I don't respond to anybody, that's why.

I'm not sure why I'm moving this story along so fast; I guess I'm just so excited to be writing again about something I love! I hope to write a lot more Hero's Cuties stuff after this is over (this is the second-to-last chapter, awkward cough) and I hope you'll continue to Follow me!

Okay, so you know how EVERYBODY loves to write about Felix saving Calhoun from her nightmares? Well, here's my contribution! There's some influence from **MidnightMoonSong**, who is my current favorite Hero's Cuties author. GO READ HER STUFF. IT'S AWESOME. I'm sure **fix-it-feesh** is good too, but I haven't really had a chance to check her out yet (fidget, fidget).

Anyway, please enjoy the penultimate chapter, in which we find out Felix is a Tennyson fan! Oh, and the patio has been remodeled so it's bigger and nicer-looking now; use your imagination.

I DON'T OWN THE POETRY HERE; IT'S ALL TENNYSON.

* * *

_"She does her best to hide the pain that she's been through."_ – Restless Heart, _When She Cries_

* * *

**Chapter 4: Now Weeps the Troubled Sergeant**  
Felix snapped his eyes open in the pitch dark of the Master Bedroom and sat the recliner upright. On the other side of the room, Ralph was on his stomach in the King Size bed, snoring rather quietly for him. The door was cracked and the hall light was on for Vanellope, who was sleeping in the guest room, also with the door cracked. She didn't like to talk about it, but she had a problem with the dark. Sometimes she was afraid she'd wake up back in the mountain, alone and unloved, which was why she stayed over with Ralph so much.

But it wasn't Vanellope's small cute voice he could hear softly crying through the door. It was older and deeper, but no less feminine.

It was Miss Calhoun.

"Oh, my land," he whispered as he scrambled out of the chair and grabbed his blue shirt on his way out. He always slept in the white shirts he wore under his uniform and pajama pants.

He padded quietly to the living room and nearly panicked when he didn't find her on the couch or hear her in the bathroom. Where was she?

He followed her sound out to the patio and there he found her curled up with her back against the wall in a soft gray shirt and navy blue pajama capris. She had one arm around her knees and her other hand draped over her eyes in a feeble attempt to keep the tears from falling. She was fighting hard to keep her breathing under control, but the need for air caused a shuddering sob to escape and the sound of it squeezed his heart like a vice grip. Any physical weirdness he'd felt before flew right out the window; now all he wanted was to make her happy again, despite how terrified he was of being pushed away again.

"Ma'am?" he said softly, bracing himself for the worst. Instead she gave a sigh of defeat and collapsed against the wall. She let him see her as she was—lonely, frightened, and tired of keeping it all in.

"I lied about my apartment," she confessed thickly without looking at him, "There's no such thing as a cy-bug check. My building's on 24-hour maintenance. I just…" She clenched a fist. "I just didn't want to be alone tonight."

"I see," he said gently and carefully approached her, "And you didn't tell me because you didn't want to let on how lonely you are." He tentatively reached out to tip her chin up and saw an almost childlike sense of fear in her eyes, like she was just as scared of being pushed away as he was.

"My lady," he said, "What you don't know is that you don't have to put up a front with me. No matter what face you put on, it never changes. It's still beautiful. You don't have to lie to me to feel welcome in my game. If you need a place to feel safe and breathe or rant—or cry…all you've got to do is hop on the train. My door's always open." He thumbed away one of her tear streams. "Please," he finished, "tell me what's wrong. What you crying for?" She deliberated for a moment, then blushed pink again.

"You got to understand," she sighed, "_Hero's Duty_ is cool if you're a gamer because you get to leave it eventually…but if you live in it…it does things to you. It makes you afraid to even sleep because you know as soon as you close your eyes—"

"Ssh," he interrupted, "It's okay, ma'am. You don't have to explain. You had a nightmare, right?" She nodded once, unable to speak around the lump in her throat. "Stay right there." He hurried inside and back out with the big soft blanket she'd been using. She half-smiled sheepishly and let him wrap her up; it felt good letting someone else take care of her for a change.

"I owe you an apology, Fix-It," she said, "I never should've thrown you out of the shuttle like that." Felix knelt beside her.

"Was it because I called you a dynamite gal?" he asked. She looked down at him, then curled up again with her lower face in the blanket.

"It's not your fault," she said, "There's no way on Earth you could've known, but…you're not the first to call me that." She didn't look at him when she said that; she couldn't. She didn't want to see the look on his face when he realized what he'd done, but she swore she could hear his heart plummeting to the floor. She suddenly hated herself for bringing it up, but her voice of reason reminded her that if she wanted to be with this man, she'd have to let him in completely, no holds barred.

"Miss Calhoun," he said breathlessly, "I am so sorry! I never meant to—"

"I know you didn't," she said, "and I'm sorry." She looked down at him. "I'm so sorry," she whispered emotionally, "I punished you for something you had nothing to do with." Felix stood up and moved her hair back again.

"It's all right, ma'am," he said, "Is that what your nightmare was about?" She nodded again and he gently thumbed out a few stray tears.

"You know, when I have nightmares," he offered, "I like to read poetry. It calms me down and makes me sleepy again."

"The only poetry I know is _Charge of the Light Brigade_ and that one that starts with 'The boy stood on the burning deck,'" said Calhoun.

"Oh, dear," Felix chuckled.

"And there's that other one…" She rubbed her forehead. "Something about 'to strive, to seek, to find' or something like that."

"Oh, that's from _Ulysses_ by Tennyson," he said brightly, "It's a long one, but there's a good part I think you'll like…

_Tho much is taken, much abides  
and though we are not now that strength  
which in old days moved earth and heaven…"_

He touched her face again and looked in her eyes.

_"That which we are,"_ he continued, _"we are…_

_One equal temper of heroic hearts,_  
_made weak by time and fate, but strong in will_  
_to strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield."_

He could see how the poem touched her: The fierce spirit within, the unyielding will to survive, to live for another day, to fight with all the strength one has was everything that made her who she was—that and a gentle, loving nature that took a back seat in her job but was carefully coaxed out by Felix and her new friends.

"That's a good one," she said with a mystified look.

"It is," he agreed, "Now let me tell you my favorite one. Come here."

Calhoun nodded and allowed him to settle them against the wall as best he could with his arms as far around her as they could go; she wrapped him in the blanket with her and leaned her head on his chest. She smiled at the way his heart leapt right under her ear and his face grew hot against her forehead.

"You all right there, Fix-It?" she chuckled.

"Fine and dandy, ma'am," he chuckled back, releasing a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding, "You comfy?"

"Oddly enough, yes," she replied, "You're not quite as tiny as you look."

"Thank you," he chirped, "If you don't mind my saying so, you're much smaller without your armor."

"Thanks." Neither of them said it, but they were both thinking they made a good fit.

"Now just relax," said Felix, "and close your eyes." She gladly obeyed him; she meant it when she said she trusted him. She trusted him completely with everything she had, including her nightmares. Now there was only one more thing to trust him with.

"By the way," she said, not moving, "My name is Tamora…Tamora Jean."

"Tamora Jean," he repeated reverently, like he was addressing a royal personage, "Pretty as a Magnolia in May." She smiled; he said her name as if she was some pioneer woman living on the plains of Texas in a cabin surrounded by yellow roses. It suggested a simplicity to everything: Time, place, life. It was everything she wanted, everything he was.

_"Now sleeps the crimson petal,"_ Felix recited soothingly, _"now the white…_

_"Nor waves the cypress in the palace walk_  
_nor wink the gold fin in the porphyry font._  
_The firefly wakens! Waken thou with me._

_"Now droops the milkwhite peacock like a ghost,_  
_and like a ghost she glimmers onto me."_

Tamora reveled in the sound of his voice; it wove the colors together and carried her as steadily and gently as a river in sunshine. She loved it so much she could've drowned in it.

_"Now lies the Earth all Danae to the stars,  
and all thy heart lies open unto me."_

_**That**_ was certainly true.

_"Now slides the silent meteor on  
and leaves a shining furrow, as thy thoughts in me._

_"Now folds the lily all her sweetness up_  
_and slips into the bosom of the lake."_

He felt her sink into him and knew she was fast asleep. She seemed so vulnerable and helpless, lying in his arms like that! Suddenly he felt such a fierce need to protect her that it terrified him! He leaned his head on her soft hair and realized he didn't just love this woman; he _adored_ her.

He cupped her face and finished the poem in a soft whisper, heavy with the weight and intensity of his love for Tamora.

_"So fold thyself, my dearest, thou  
and slip into my bosom  
and be lost in me."_

* * *

**Author's Reivew****:**  
I was flipping through one of my poetry apps for a good "good night" poem and this one was just so gorgeous in its color description and soothing imagery that it was perfect for our troubled Sergeant Calhoun, especially when you add that Felix definitely seems the poetic type!

Tennyson just really seems to be a good poet for them; _Ulysses_ is good and inspiring for a fighter like Tamora and _Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal_, like I said, is a beautifully calming balm of a poem.

That's all I've got for now; please stay tuned for the adorable conclusion, and possibly an epilogue!


	5. Old Spice and Honeysuckle

Sadly, this is the last official chapter, but fear not, fellow Wreckers! For I have prepared, for extra fluff…AN EPILOGUE! Not a new concept, I know, but fun all the same!

Vanellope gets a lot of hilarity kudos in this one; I think you'll like what she does. ;)

So without further ado, please enjoy the somewhat short final chapter and PLEASE STAY TUNED FOR THE EPILOGUE. I promise it will be much longer ('cause it kinda ran away with me just a wee bit).

* * *

_"I'm a woman in love and it's you I run to."_ – Shania Twain, _The Woman in Me (Needs The Man in You)_

* * *

**Chapter 5: Old Spice and Honeysuckle**  
"Ralph," Vanellope hissed the next morning, "Ralph, wake up!" She pushed on his arm while bouncing on her feet; he mumbled something and turned away. She smacked her forehead, jumped on the bed and got right by his ear.

"HEY, STINKBRAIN!" she shrieked, scaring him awake.

"I'm up! I'm up!" he flailed, "What's happening?"

"Ssh!" she said, "Come on! You've got to see this!" She sounded like she was fit to burst with laughter so the giant wrecker rolled off the bed and followed, wondering what in the world could be so funny this early in the morning. Vanellope was still bouncing as she dragged him by the finger out to the patio. Ralph was rubbing his eyes the whole way but they nearly popped out of his head when he saw Felix and Calhoun wrapped in a blanket together like two peas in a pod! Vanellope was about ready to explode, but Ralph gave her the old "zip the lip" gesture and she reluctantly gave up whatever prank was begging to be played, but not without sneaking a non-flash picture with a camera she'd already grabbed. Ralph rolled his eyes and gently nudged his coworker with the back of his finger.

"Hey, Felix?" he said quietly. Felix's eyes fluttered open.

"Oh," he smiled up at them, "Morning, brother. Vanellope."

"Hey," Ralph half-smiled, "Look, man, I _really_ hate to do this, but the arcade opens in ten. We've got to get a move-on."

"Ten minutes?" Felix said with quiet surprise, "I've _never_ slept in _that_ late."

"Probably 'cause you've never had such a big teddy bear before," Vanellope smirked in a teasing way, "You sly dog." They could almost hear his face sizzling as he glanced down at the sleeping beauty he was still holding.

"Come on, Vanellope," Ralph said, "Let's get you packed."

"Oh, all right," she relented and tagged along. Felix moved Tamora's bangs out of her eyes. The last thing he wanted to do was disturb what might have been the first peaceful slumber she'd had since being plugged in, but she had a job to do. They all did.

"Tamora?" he said softly, loving the sound of her name, "Rise and shine, milady." She breathed deep and stirred herself. She glanced around, confused at first, then remembered where she was—curled up like a kitten in the small but strong arms of Fix-It Felix, Jr.

"Good morning," he smiled down at her, "You sleep all right?"

"Yeah, I did," she smiled back and gave him a peck on the cheek, "Thanks to you." She sat up and stretched her arms. "Your little poetry recital really hit the spot; for the first time in my life, I know how it feels to sleep like a baby."

"I'm really glad," he said sincerely. They smiled for a moment.

"You're a good man, Felix," she said warmly and stood, "My soldiers could learn a few things from you."

"Really?" he blinked in surprise at what he knew was a high compliment from a military commander, "Thank you, ma'am."

"Ma'am?" she smirked and gathered up the blanket, "I thought we were on a first name basis."

"Seven minutes, you guys!" Ralph called from inside.

"C'mon, Sarge! Move your molasses!" Vanellope added, "We're gonna be late!"

"Keep your candy on, I'm coming!" the sarge replied with a smile, "You heard her, pint size. Let's get a move-on."

"Right! Coming!" He hurried to his room to change; as he was about to remove his white shirt, he suddenly caught a whiff of something flowery on it. He gave it a sniff then buried his face in it and breathed deep, releasing it upward with his heart going a mile a minute.

"Honeysuckle," he sighed as he sank against his door.

Similarly, Tamora had just scrambled back into her civvies when she thought she smelled something on the gray shirt she'd slept in. After a tentative sniff, her face went bright red. It smelled like Old Spice and bricks and fresh-cut lumber. She smiled adoringly into the shirt and inhaled it like an anesthetic. Her heart sprouted wings and flitted around her chest like a little chickadee in a birdbath.

Then something else happened for the first time in her life: She giggled. It was quiet and womanly, but a giggle nonetheless.

* * *

Within two of the last five minutes before the arcade opened, Ralph and Felix had their girls seated on the train. There was no time to walk them home like they wanted.

"Thanks for the great time, you guys!" Vanellope piped, "We should totally do this again!"

"Anytime, kid," Ralph smiled and tipped her chin. She glanced at Felix, biting his bottom lip, hat in hands and cheeks aglow, gazing longingly at Sgt. Calhoun with those puppy eyes. She groaned in frustration.

"Oh, just kiss her already!" she rolled her eyes.

"Move over, kiddo," smiled Tamora as she switched seats with her. She grabbed Felix by the front of his shirt, just like in _Sugar Rush_, and laid one on him. Vanellope's cries of "ew!" were music to her ears.

"See you later, short man," she grinned. Felix nodded dumbly, too stunned for words as the train began to pull away.

"Uh, Tamora?" he stammered, following them to the end of the platform, "Listen. Can I take you out tonight?"

"Yes!" she answered a bit faster than she meant to.

"Great!" he smiled brightly, "I'll pick you up after closing time!" The train was getting further away. Tamora turned to face him.

"_Outside_ my game!"

"Okay!"

She smiled happily and chuckled a bit.

"It's a date, then!"

"Yeah, it is!" he waved, "Have a good day! You too, Vanellope!"

"Bye, guys!" the child waved back, "Wreck 'em hard, Ralph!"

"Will do!" he saluted, "Come on, Romeo. It's game time."

"Coming!" he chirped and hopped away. He was happy as a cricket in summer!

"You really _do_ like him, don't you?" said Vanellope.

"More than you know, kid," Tamora smiled.

"What _happened_ with you guys last night?" she asked seriously. The sarge paused.

"I had a nightmare," she said quietly, "and Felix helped me back to sleep." Vanellope looked surprised and sympathetic at the same time.

"_You?_" she said, "But you're the bravest person I know, except for Ralph. You're not scared of anything!" Tamora smiled.

"Everyone's afraid of something," she said and fingered the girl's bangs, "and even grown-ups have nightmares." Vanellope realized they had a lot more in common than she thought. Sgt. Calhoun acted tough and mean as part of her job, but deep down she was scared and lonely, just like her.

"I'm sorry," the kid said sadly, "I guess _Hero's Duty_ is kinda freaky, huh?"

"Bingo," the sarge nodded, "Speaking of which, you're not allowed in there, EVER. You get me?"

"Aye-aye!" Vanellope saluted as the train stopped. She jumped down after hugging her new friend and glitched away. "Bye, Sarge!"

Tamora waved back, chuckling to herself as she shouldered her bag and sauntered across Game Central Station. Just before crossing the threshold of her own game, she glanced back at _Fix-It Felix, Jr._ What she did to deserve the attention of a man like him, she'd probably never know; all she knew was that she'd spend every day of the rest of her life trying to let him know how grateful she was to him, how much he meant to her…

How completely, truly, and deeply she now loved him.

No longer afraid, Sergeant Calhoun strode through the outlet to the tune of "ATTENTION: THE ARCADE IS ABOUT TO OPEN. PLEASE REPORT TO YOUR GAMES."

* * *

**Author's Review****:**  
I didn't realize how alike these two girls are until I started writing this story. They're both tough and smart and attractive in their own way, but in the end they're both scared and lonely and scarred. Vanellope now has someone in her life who is big and strong and seemingly indestructible, someone who can protect her and help her dreams take flight and Calhoun has someone who has been her emotional salvation, has brought her back to life the way she's always wanted to, who may not be very big, but is still strong and steady.

These girls are incredibly lucky to have the It-Men in their lives and they know it. They know what they mean to them and that's what I think makes them so good together…like I hope they'll be in the sequel. ^_^

And by the way, Ralph really did feel bad about waking them up. He knows how much Felix loves T.J. and never would've disturbed them but for a game day.

So…STAY TUNED FOR EPILOGUE! (LSP voice) IT'S GONNA BE SO FLIPPIN' AWESOME!


	6. Epilogue: Feels Like Home

Argh! I hate finishing a story! But I'm planning a lot more, so don't abandon me yet, especially right before Hero's Cuties Week!

That's right, somebody on Tumblr is doing a Hero's Cuties Week! It runs June 29-July 5th. I'm not sure exactly how to celebrate it; I guess you just go on Tumblr or whatever and appreciate the adorableness that is Felix and Calhoun. You end your posts with #heroescutiesweek, I know that much. Sounds like fun, right?

Wow, I don't think I've ever done a plug before! (…) Fascinating.

Anyway, I apologize for the length of this epilogue, but my inner muse wanted to drag out the fluff as much as possible and she's really excited to be awake after such a long nap! Those of you who are familiar with my work know what I'm talking about. ;)

So…apparently there's a thing that I think was started by **fix-it-feesh**, even though I sort of got the idea from **MidnightMoonSong**—the idea being that either Felix or Calhoun is a cat person. Or both! I like it, so I caught onto the idea!

By the way, please pretend Felix's possessions are relatively normal sized, just for the sake of the story!

Special shout-out to **Ryan Stoppable** and **Miratete**, my most constant reviewers! You guys rock! Actually, everybody who reviews rocks because it fuels my resolve! But I'll stop talking now!

* * *

_"We're right where we should be when we're together."_ – Paul Brandt, _I Do_

* * *

**Epilogue: Feels Like Home**  
Tamora closed the door to her apartment and leaned against it, taking a good look around.

The place was about as welcoming as a cy-bug nest. It was overcast with tints of black and green, littered with clothes and damaged pieces of armor, decorated only with awards of her military achievements, all lit by cheerless fluorescent bulbs. It was cold, too; the only sign of life other than herself was a cat with gray fur so dark it was almost black and eyes a bright shade of green they usually called "cy-bug green." Other than that, the place was virtually soulless.

She'd just come back from a fun first date with Felix; he introduced her to the crowd at Tapper's and she taught him how to play Flip, another drinking game they played with root beer. Then they went for a long walk through the park in _Extreme Easy Livin' 2_ and talked until the fireflies came out. It made her happy to see a green bug that _wasn't_ trying to kill anybody.

Now she was back in her own place, where the atmosphere seemed to suck all the happiness right back out of her. There was nothing here that reminded her of Felix and the warm glow that surrounded him and everything he touched. Here the only reminders were of her job and her emotional baggage, everything she'd been _before_ they met.

Tamora nodded slowly to herself with her lips pursed to the side in a thinking expression; she glanced at her duffel bag from last night, still packed, then back at her unmade bed. She raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, I'm not doing this." She knelt by the bag, unzipped it, and clicked her tongue at the cat. "C'mon, Gretchen. You're coming with me." Gretchen the cat meowed and hopped in. Tamora zipped her in with a smile and hoped Felix wasn't allergic.

* * *

For the first time in thirty years, Felix couldn't sleep.

Two hours after bedtime, he was in the same position—lying in his twin bed in his white undershirt, his face turned to the window, watching the fireflies blink in and out of the darkness. He smiled; they reminded him of his date with Tamora and the way they lit up her face. His heart bloomed at the memory of her smile, her breathtaking smile! What he wouldn't do to see that smile again!

How he missed that smile now.

Felix sighed and looked up at the ceiling; they'd had such a lovely evening together and now it was over and he felt like he had a gaping hole in his tiny little chest! What was _wrong_ with him? Why did he feel so sad after such a terrific date with such a terrific lady? How could he miss her so terribly after just barely seeing her? Was this part of being in love? Was he really in it so deep that he just couldn't be without her anymore?

He sat up and grabbed a red leather-bound book off his bedside table. He fingered the bright gold lettering that spelled out "Famous Poetry" and fell back over in a fetal position. He sighed and recited to himself.

_"And she is grown so dear, so dear,  
that I would be the jewel  
that trembles in her ear,  
For hid in ringlets day and night,  
I'd touch her neck so warm and white."_

Once again he smelled the sweet scent her hair had left on his shirt and it seemed to soothe him. He finally drifted off, praying with all his heart that she'd sleep peacefully tonight. He'd offered to let her use the penthouse again, but she'd wanted to stick it out and be a big girl.

"You put the brave back in me," she'd said with another sheepish half-smile.

He smiled sleepily to himself.

"My brave, beautiful girl…"

* * *

A couple of hours later he wore to the faint sound of a "mrow."

"Frankie?" he mumbled blearily and got up. Frankie the cat was sort of the Niceland pet, a background character that sashayed across the screen every once in a while. She liked everybody, even Gene, but she sometimes ended up slipping into Felix's living room window.

But when he opened his bedroom door rubbing an eye, it was a different cat that came twining through his legs, purring louder than a HEMI engine. She had a glossy dark gray coat and bright green eyes.

"Oh," he smiled and knelt down, "Hello there, little lady. Where'd you come from?" He looked at her tags and read the name "Gretchen."

"Well, that's a pretty name," he said and scratched under her chin, "Nice to meet you, Gretchen." The cat had her eyes squinted shut and purred under his touch. "I bet you'd like some milk." He scooped her up like a baby and carried her to the living room, where he stopped dead in his tracks and unintentionally dropped her right back on her feet. She just padded off with her tail in the air.

Tamora was asleep on his couch!

_'Jiminy jaminy, I must be dreaming!'_ he thought. She was bundled up in a navy blue blanket with her lower face snuggled into it. Since the couch was so small, her knees were slightly bent and almost sticking out. Her body twitched and she quickly mumbled "We are humanity's last hope" before turning away. Felix chuckled softly; it looked like she was truly asleep, just as he'd hoped. He whipped his own blanket and pillow off his bed and settled on the floor by the couch, staring at her until he fell back to sleep.

He'd never slept more soundly in his life.

* * *

Tamora was coaxed back to consciousness by the sounds and smells of breakfast cooking and by the impact of her cat landing on her and mewing gently at her. She did it every single morning.

"Go away, Gretchen," she mumbled and covered her head. Not to be deterred, the cat pawed down the blanket, perched on her head, and gave an authoritative "mrow" with their noses touching.

"All right, all right," Tamora smiled and opened her eyes, "I'm up, you little fleabag." She scratched Gretchen behind the ears and the cat leapt down, satisfied at last. Tamora sat up and watched her walk into the kitchen.

"Good morning!" Felix's cheerful voice called, "Did you sleep all right?"

"Um," she responded, feeling somewhat flustered and guilty, "Yes, thank you!"

She went to the kitchen counter that bordered the living room to see Felix frying bacon and operating a waffle iron. Gretchen rubbed past him on her way to the bowl of milk he'd set out for her.

"Wow," she blinked, "She _likes_ you."

"Yep!" he chirped, "She's a sweet little gal!"

"I've literally never seen Gretchen take to anyone that fast," she said in surprise, "Seriously. The only other person she likes in my game is Kohut's mother." She looked at him and snorted a small laugh. "Nice apron."

Over his work clothes he was wearing a white apron with an 8-bit picture of himself holding a spatula overhead with the words "I Can Cook It!" across the top in bright gold. He laughed sheepishly with pink cheeks.

"I hope you like waffles!" he said, "I've made plenty! And bacon! It's not breakfast without bacon!"

"Thanks," she said, "Need any help?"

"Sure!" he pointed, "The dishes are in that cabinet there!"

In minutes the table was set for two and Felix was serving the waffles and bacon.

"I got to confess," he said, "This is sort of a dream come true for me."

"Yeah," she half-smiled with a pink face, "Me, too. I'm sorry, though, that I let myself in uninvited."

"Unexpected," he corrected, "Not necessarily uninvited." She smiled again.

"You're something else, Fix-It," she said, "If I were you, I'd have me arrested for breaking and entering."

"That's only for intruders," he replied, "I told you, you're always welcome in my home. How _did_ you get in?"

"I jimmied the lock," she said casually, "A little trick I picked up in the Corps. Mmm—these are good."

"Thanks," he said, "Mary gave me the recipe. She's the co-chair of our Homeowner's Association."

"She give you the recipe for this syrup, too?" she asked, "'Cause this is amazing."

"No, uh…" He fidgeted and tried to be modest. "I came up with that one. It's maple and honey with a touch of cinnamon. (…) How'd you get in without anyone seeing you?"

"I've got a cloaking device that I use in gameplay," she said.

He looked at her for a moment.

"You know, I'm really happy you're here," he said seriously, "It might sound silly, but I…I really missed you last night. (Honeyglow Attack!) I mean, I—I know we had our date and believe me, I had the best time, but after I dropped you of and came back here…" He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I don't know. Something was wrong. I've lived in this little apartment for thirty years and now that I've met you…it just doesn't feel like home anymore. _Nothing _feels right without you anymore."

Tamora put down her OJ.

"I think I feel the same way," she said a bit hesitantly, "My place never felt like much of a home before, but last night…" She shook her head. "I took one look at that place and I just couldn't take it. After last night, the thought of sleeping alone again made me want to run screaming in the other direction."

"So you ran here," he said with a hand out that she accepted.

"I ran to you," she said quietly, "I don't breathe easy anymore until I'm with you." She blushed a bit shamefully; he could tell how hard it was for her to admit this. "I'm happy with you, Felix. You make me happy." His heart took flight.

"Oh, Tammy," he sighed, making her blush again, "You make me so happy, too! I've never been this happy in my whole life!"

Just then, someone knocked on his door.

"Felix!" called Mary's voice, "Rise and shine! We've got half an hour!" Both their faces flared up.

"Thank you, Mary!" Felix called back, "Gee, Tammy, I'm sorry. We're supposed to be getting ready for work and here we are, making goo-goo eyes! Heh! Oh, uh…you can leave the bag here if you like," he offered, "It'll be less for you to carry. A-and Gretchen can stay here, too."

"Thanks," she said as they cleared the table, "I don't like leaving her back home."

In ten minutes Tamora had her hair and face washed (his shower was too small) and was clad in armor (she'd packed her own towel and toiletries and Felix had showered already). His ceiling was low enough to make her bend over a bit, but she made it work.

"Official inspection?" she joked. Felix hopped up on his kitchen counter and looked her over.

"Sergeant Calhoun," he smiled, "You are the jewel of the Corps." He held her face, kissed her forehead, and took a good whiff of her hair. "Do you know your hair smells like honeysuckle."

"Well, I think my first clue was the bottle labeled _Wild Honeysuckle_," she smirked, "But thank you. On a similar note, I like your Old Spice." Now she grabbed _his_ face and showed him just how _much_ she liked it. When she pulled back, he was off balance and space-faced with a major Honeyglow all over.

"Jiminy jaminy," he breathed. Tamora laughed.

"At ease, soldier," she said fondly and touched his face. He covered her hand with his and they had a silent moment.

"I love you, Tammy Jean." The words came so easily and felt so natural that he wondered why they took so long to come out. Her nose and cheeks went deep red and her eyes brimmed over like she couldn't believe it. That this man, who had to be at _least_ an archangel, was truly in love with a woman who considered herself a fallen angel at best, was too miraculous for words.

She gave a little sob-laugh and touched her forehead to his. He took off a glove and thumbed out her tears. She looked deeply into those puppy dog eyes that she'd kill for and swallowed before speaking.

"I love you, Fix-It Felix, Jr."

Felix felt his heart explode. The only thing he could think to do was hold her as closely as he could. Tamora tried to hug him lovingly without strangling him.

"Meow," said Gretchen with her tail lashing.

"Uhh," Tamora sighed, "That's my 15-minute warning."

"She certainly takes care of you, doesn't she?" Felix chuckled.

"Yeah, that's her," she smiled and pet her head, "My little alarm clock." Felix hopped down and walked her to the door.

"Say, uh," he said, "If you liked my breakfast so much, would you like to come over for dinner tonight? Not to brag, but I can cook a steak that'll knock your socks off!"

"Count me in," she accepted, "That sounds great. Should I…dress up?" The thought of her in a dress froze him for a second.

"If you like," he said.

"Okay," she chuckled, "I'll see you at closing time." She knelt down and gave him a soft parting kiss. "I love you." She forgot how good it felt to say that.

"I love you, too," he smiled tenderly, "Have a good day."

"You too, short stack." She turned a dial on her arm and ripple-dissolved out of sight. Felix let her out and heard her tread down the hall to the elevator. He felt weird about sneaking her out like this—he certainly wasn't ashamed of her—but he appreciated her trying to look out for him, despite the fact that she was the one who showed up _twice_ unexpectedly.

Felix looked around his home and imagined what it would be like to do this every morning: To greet his beloved, ask her how she slept, serve her breakfast, make happy talk, wish her a good day with an "I love you" kiss, to think to himself how lucky he was to have her…

To live every day of the rest of his life at her side.

"Mrrow." The cat padded over for more attention. Felix was more than happy to oblige.

"So, Gretchen," he smiled as she purred under his touch, "How would you feel if I proposed to your mistress?"

As if in answer, Gretchen put her front paws on his knee and touched noses with him; then she rubbed her head on his, purring like there was no tomorrow.

"So I guess I have your blessing?" he smiled. Gretchen meowed and went back to her milk. Feeling empowered, Felix pulled on his gloves and went to work.

THE END

* * *

**Author's Review****:**  
Fun Fact: Calhoun named her cat after Gretchen Wieners from _Mean Girls_!

Frankie is I guess what you'd call a recycled character. I first created her in a Jimmy Neutron story; years later, I used her in a _Toy Story_ fic, where she got a little more "screen time." I guess she's back again as a cameo appearance! I was reading the _Warriors_ series by Erin Hunter at the time I made her up.

The poetry Felix recites is an excerpt from _The Miller's Daughter_, another Tennyson poem! ;) And his red book called "Famous Poetry" is designed after the "Famous Poetry" app I have on my iPod!

I hope you don't think I made Tammy too needy, 'cause that's not what I was going for at all. I just figured when you're really in love, your instinct is to be with them as much as possible. Or am I just naïve?

The waffle breakfast is another nod to **MidnightMoonSong**, specifically "Love Notes." It's my favorite Hero's Cuties story right now. I keep rereading it like crazy!

So this story's over, but I've got a "Felix proposal" story brewing in the brain, so don't give up on me yet! PLEASE stick around for more HC love!


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